Titanium tooth implants – know them, love them,
get them … or not

Titanium
tooth implants have been frequently considered the best option when considering
treatment options for replacing one or more missing teeth, at least since some
twenty years. Data recorded and compiled by professional oral associations in
the United States show that a staggering 69% of adults with ages ranging from
35 to 44 are susceptible of losing at least one permanent tooth due to
different causes such as gum disease, poor hygiene resulting in tooth decay or
unfortunate mishaps in oral interventions.

There
are a lot of advantages of choosing titanium tooth implants rather than a removable
denture or using adjacent teeth to anchor a fixed bridge. Both alternatives
have disadvantages. A removable denture may slip, making noises “advertising”
the fact you don’t have your natural teeth anymore. The process of installing a
fixed bridge inherently affects the adjoining teeth, which are susceptible for
further damage in the future.

On the contrary, a titanium dental implant is
long-term replacement, which is placed without damaging other healthy teeth and
which firmly embeds in the jawbone where it is placed through a process called osseointegration.
This promotes fewer diet restrictions that denture or fixed bridge patients
face, more confidence for the individuals having a dental implant, and overall a
better life experience.

Quick
fact: A titanium tooth implant is better than any other alternative teeth
replacement procedure.

Everything
peachy, right? Well…those were the pros. Let’s see about the cons.

In
2013, popular television star Dick Van Dyke, tweeted that his doctors have
finally discovered the source of an undiagnosed neurological disorder that has
been plaguing him for no less than seven years, with symptoms ranging from
insomnia to severe pounding headaches. Several physicians and an extensive
range of medical tests, including a spinal tap, have led to nothing conclusive.

Only
after removing previously placed titanium tooth implants and observing the disappearing
of the symptoms have the “root” problems been discovered.

The
mechanism that may results in head-aches in patients such as Van Dyke is the galvanic
effect, which occurs when a titanium tooth implant support a crown made by a dissimilar
metal, such as gold. Metallic ions released
by normal corrosion, amplified by the contact of the mildly basic saliva create
electrical charges, sometimes as high as 100 micro-amps. A single LED requires about
50 micro-amps to light up, for comparison. The electric currents create a
neural interference field that have a direct negative effect on the central
systems.

Further move, the galvanic effects also drive
metal ions from the place of implant through the rest of the body. The ions
then have the potential of binding with cell proteins, which may result in an
autoimmune response from the defensive mechanisms present in all organisms.
This may lead to chronic fatigue system – a symptom reported in cases of titanium allergyand may also potentially lead to full
development of auto-immune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Quick
fact: The galvanic effect will be presented regardless of the metal, as long as
it is contact with your organism – that includes gold teeth crowns for
instance.

A
more common occurrence is a minor infection or inflammation presented in the
area of the implant. It is so common that it acquired its own name - “peri-implantitis”.
It is caused primarily by bacteria entering the organism via the space between
the gum (gingivae) and the implant emerging from the jawbone. Naturally, this
space it is sealed by a fibrous membrane which is unfortunately lost along with
the real tooth. The infection by itself it’s not of a much concern for a healthy
organism, but it presents the risk of progressing to the bone causing osteomyelitis
and other serious systemic consequences.